Viennese Potato Soup - With A Twist of Mushrooms

I love potatoes!  But who doesn't?  The other day while puddling around in my cookbook collection, I found this little beauty.  Mr P. says it is mine; I say it is his.  It is a mystery as to how it appeared on our shelves.  (And I fear there are others lurking in the depths).

a mystery volume on the shelves :=)      

The Princess was a princess before she married the Prince.  She was born Princess Windischgraetz, so she could already hold her own in the Royalty stakes.  And clearly she was a lover of potatoes. She tells us that the Brits were eating over 100kg. of spuds per head each year (and that was back in the '80s!).  Amazingly, you can still buy this book which was first published in 1981.  See, potatoes are the cat's pyjamas; everyone loves them.

Here is my version of the Princess's potato soup; ramped up with extra mushrooms and bacon.  Oh, and even a few more tatties.  I had planned to make mushroom paprika soup (from an old photocopied page; not sure where it came from), but then I saw this book and the die was cast.  Who could resist recipes like Prague potato soup, potato wine or even better - pommes de terre (potatoes) au lard? Happily, that means bacon in English, not pig fat! 

ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil 
2 tbs butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
140g. rindless bacon, chopped (4 or 5 slices)
1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
4-5 medium potatoes, diced  (I only had wee ones so I used 9)
500g. mushrooms, sliced 
A few caraway seeds (optional)
2 tbs plain flour
Zest of half a lemon
A handful of parsley, chopped
1.25 L of stock (chicken or beef is fine)
1 tsp salt
Black pepper (I used about a dozen grinds of the mill)
200 mls. sour cream


Method:

Heat the oil and 1 tbs of butter in a large saucepan
Add the onion, and stir till just turning golden
Tip in the bacon and stir some more
In goes the paprika
Then the potatoes and mushrooms
Throw in the caraway seeds if using
Give it a good stir
Add the other 1 tbs of butter and stir in
Sprinkle over the flour and stir it well in
Add half the lemon zest and parsley
Pour in the stock and - you guessed it! -  stir it together
Add salt and pepper
Turn it down low and simmer gently for about 25 minutes
When the potatoes are tender, add the sour cream and heat gently - do not boil the cream as it will curdle (will still taste great!)
Throw in the other half of the lemon zest and parsley
Season with more salt and pepper if desired

a mountain of sliced mushies 

a benchful of ingredients 

a bowlful of bacon   

tip in the mushies  

give it a good stir 

simmer for about 25 minutes till potatoes are tender 

a dollop of sour cream

me in my cooking gear!  (I have lots of aprons)  

my mushie doodle:=)